Magazine kulturkontakt

Our kulturkontakt magazine is published three times a year and is devoted to topical subjects in the fields of the arts, culture and education. Each issue has a particular area of emphasis. In a discourse section, the magazine presents external national and international positions on the subject being focussed on in that issue. Another section, devoted to projects, presents exemplary KulturKontakt Austria projects in the respective subject area.
Our magazine, which has a circulation of 6,800 copies, has a very heterogeneous target group. It is mailed to persons involved in educational and cultural policy, cultural institutions in Austria and abroad, opinion leaders, network partners, and persons belonging to a variety of interest groups.
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Winter 2011/2012

Like all catchwords, the term communication has acquired shallow connotations as a result of constant and often indiscriminate use. Yes, of course, everything is communication! But upon closer examination, two things in particular become apparent: first of all, that the activities of KulturKontakt Austria (KKA) can be newly evaluated from this perspective, and second, that the work at KKA is now related to a surprisingly large extent to the new paradigm of the digital media. The spectrum ranges from copyright questions through data security to the preparation of social media guidelines. A change of perspective is always beneficial.

In this issue, the editorial staff deliberately chose to deal with the subject of communication across the whole range of meanings that the term conveys: as internal organisational communication, as public relations, as a consultancy service, as an artistic concern, as a target group issue and many others. We especially wanted to avoid belabouring the digital culture hype.

Summer 2011

This time our theme is social inclusion. Experts from both Austria and our partner countries have taken a refreshing look at the subject of inclusion. One example is the article on participative evaluation. A contribution from Serbia reflects the current debate on inclusion in that country and examines the situation there in the field of teacher education and training in some detail. Another article gives insights into the situation with respect to the inclusion of persons with (so-called) disabilities from the perspective of a local NGO in Moldova.
Considerable space in this issue has been devoted to the views of young people and young adults. They describe their everyday experiences in an inclusion class and comment on participation opportunities for young people.
The »Practice« section of this magazine is devoted to specific activities of KKA that attempt, in various ways, to promote social inclusion.

Winter 2010

With the provocative question “Is Net-working Not-working?”, a recent conference called attention to the issue of networks. And, in fact: often the reason for proposing a network is that there is a lack of clearly defined areas of responsibility, objectives, resources and working relationships.

But let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water. From a sociological perspective, the advantage of a network over a group is that a network emphasises relationships and openness rather than exclusiveness. In this way, networks are more helpful in dealing with the complexity of modern societies than self-referential systems are. Without functioning networks, it would be impossible to cope with the problems of our modern-day world – both from an economic and from a political and democratic perspective.

This issue of our magazine presents the various types and forms of networking involved in the work of KulturKontakt Austria, and also discusses possibilities for development in this context in connection with education and culture. We have attempted to scrutinise the prejudices that even successful networks have to contend with, as well as to focus attention on their potential.

Autumn 2010

What educational and cultural policy need more than ever these days is not adjustments to make them fit the corset of social and economic framework conditions, but rather the courage to try out innovative ideas.

For the autumn issue of kulturkontakt magazine, we invited a number of experts to present their viewpoints on future-oriented concepts for education and culture as well as their assessments of the possible consequences.

The magazine also features an interview with federal school students’ spokesperson Pia Bauer and musician/artist Skero on their ideas about the future. In addition, this issue presents KKA’s own innovative projects aimed at breaking new ground and opening up perspectives for trend-setting action. As always, we have also put a spotlight on the works of artists, those “agitators of the future, who build catapults for shots into the realm of the outstanding“ (Sloterdijk).

Spring 2010

In recent years, the concept of diversity has belatedly found its way into the public debate.

Business enterprises, media, educational organisations and cultural institutions are increasingly recognising and exercising their responsibility to learn how to deal appropriately with the diversity of their employees and clients.

This issue of KKA magazine reflects the state of the current discussion internationally as well as at KKA. It is intended to arouse curiosity about the subject itself, about our specific work in this area, and also about other institutions that are rising to the same challenge.

Winter 2009

This issue of KKA Magazine is devoted almost exclusively to the four theme evenings, an event series on the occasion of KulturKontakt Austria’s 20th anniversary. We associated »theme evening« with reflecting, listening and slowing down, as a kind of countermovement to the ubiquitous »hyperaccelerated standstill«, whose negative consequences have been pointed out by the German sociologist Hartmut Rosa. It was important to us to take the time and provide the space to discuss key issues of education, the arts and culture that will be playing an increasing role in our future work.

Participation in society, mobility, social change and CCSR were the themes we wanted to explore. We succeeded in acquiring eminent guests from Austria and abroad for our panels, with whom we discussed and developed central issues and initiatives in a workshop atmosphere.
In this issue you will find introductory presentations, a summary of the discussions, and a series of photos that give a visual impression of the evenings.

Autumn 2009

The second issue of kulturkontakt magazine is devoted to the concerns that have motivated KKA’s activities over its 20-year history.
We decided to focus here more on the perspectives than on the retrospectives of an institution that owes its existence to the transformation in Eastern and South Eastern Europe and ultimately, also, in Austria. We also wanted to talk about the challenges that this transformation has brought.

Sustainability is one of the concepts that engaged our attention with increasing intensity while planning and compiling this issue. »Sustainability« can be seen in the context of society as a whole, in the context of educational policy, of cultural policy or in the institutional context: in any case it expresses, concisely and optimistically, what KKA will continue to work towards, together with its institutional
partners, long after its twentieth anniversary.

Summer 2009

The discussion of specifics is especially important at a time when the regime of management tools appears to have replaced the thorough examination and appraisal of the causes and objectives of action.
The vogue of the terms »innovation« and »creativity« is a good example. If we want 2009 to be more than a brief episode on the vanishing line of the European Years, we have to devote enough time and effort to reflecting on these concepts and what they signify.

KulturKontakt Austria is involved with the aforementioned theme in a variety of ways: as co-organiser of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation in Austria, as a generator of ideas and impulses in Austrian and European forums, and as the reliable provider of a diversity of programmes in education, the arts and culture. We’ll be talking about this in the present issue as well, giving examples of our innovative achievements in these fields.